How Our Phone is Changing Our Brain and What We Can Do About It?
The Impact of Smartphones on Our Brains
Just 15 years ago, only 20% of people accessed the internet from their
phones. Now, that number has risen to 91%. Adults spend 11 hours daily
interacting with media, with 71% of people never turning off their phones.
Additionally, 31% of people admit to not being able to control their phone use,
and 17.3% of parents spend more time on their phones than with their children.
Our brains have not evolved to deal with these devices, and the science
behind why we are compulsively addicted to our phones is quite scary. In this
blog, we will explore the new research about how our phone changes our brain
and discuss the implications. We will also provide tips to decrease phone use
and regain control of our lives.
The Science Behind Phone Addiction
Dopamine, the feel-good reward chemical in our brain, plays a
significant role in motivating behaviour. Whenever we receive a notification,
laugh at a funny TikTok video, or gain a follower on Instagram, the neuronal
processes in our brain associated with dopamine become stronger through
long-term potentiation. Smartphones provide an unlimited supply of dopamine and
stimuli, strengthening these pathways in our brains.
However, this constant release of dopamine can lead to adverse effects
such as sadness, malaise, and depression. Studies have found that people who
spend excessive amounts of time interacting with screens are more likely to be
diagnosed with depression or anxiety. Additionally, phone use is positively
associated with anxiety and negatively impacts face-to-face communication.
Are We Addicted to Our Phone?
Researchers use dopamine as a measure of how addictive a substance can be. If we find ourselves exhibiting certain behaviours, we may be addicted to our phones. Here are five critical questions to consider:
- Do we have cravings to look at our phones at the expense of other activities?
- Does our phone impact our mood?
- Do we need to spend more time on our phones to feel the same amount of pleasure?
- Do we feel angry, uneasy, or unable to focus when we cannot access our phones
- Have we tried to decrease our phone use but found that we need help?
We are not alone if we answer "yes" to these questions. Many
people struggle with phone addiction. The good news is that our brains have
neuroplasticity, which means we can rewire them and regain control of our
lives.
Tips to Decrease Phone Use
Changing the brain pathways associated with phone addiction takes time and effort. Here are three scientifically backed tips to help us decrease phone use:
- Chronological binding: Restrict phone use to narrow time units, such as one hour per day. It helps avoid compulsive and excessive consumption of phone content.
- Physical binding: Log out of trigger apps or give our passwords to a friend or family member. Restrict access to certain apps or turn off our phones at specific times to create physical boundaries.
- Categorical binding: Make our phone less meaningful by putting it on grayscale, deleting unnecessary apps, and using it only for essential tasks like texting and emails. Charge our phone in an inconvenient area overnight to reduce temptation.
Remember, everyone's journey to decreasing phone use is different. Experiment with these tips and find the strategies that work best for us. It is essential to continue the discussion and support each other.